Eternity
by Firenzie
Summary: Another in a slew of depressing Taiora fics I've written. I've just been on a drama kick lately. A terrible tragedy struck years ago and Sora has been having trouble dealing with it. I forewarn you, this one is really weird.


Eternity  
By Firenze  
  
Sora Takenouchi rolled over onto her side on her bed in a restless sleep. With blurred vision, she read off her luminous alarm clock that it was 10:00 pm. Only ten o'clock -- she had been tucked into bed an hour ago -- and she was already back awake. She kicked her feet and found her sheets and covers were completely discombobulated. That was the least of her worries. She drew her warm woolen blanket around her shoulders and tried to get comfortable. Being comfortable would hardly change a thing.  
  
Lately she had been having touble resting peacefully at night. Sleeping pills could hardly work. The trauma was just too much... She hadn't had any sleeping disorders before. It had all started since...since... Oh, she didn't want to think about that at all. It was too much to bear, and simply hurt just to remember. Clutching a pillow over her head and trying to clear her mind completely, it was only then that she began to drift slowly off to sleep. But despite the temporary moment of forgetfulness, she couldn't forget it entirely... No, she couldn't ever forget...  
  
***  
  
.:12 hours earlier:.  
  
"Sora!" her mother called. The scent of bacon and eggs was in the air, and wafted its way to Sora's bedroom and reached her nose. She sniffed it and slightly stirred. Her mother shouted her name her again, which finally woke her up. She sat up in bed, with a yawn, stretched, then stood up and walked to the kitchen.  
  
"Yes, Mama?" she asked, aware of how disheveled she looked. Her normally neat hair was messy and all over the place, her typically crisp pajamas wrinkled. Well, it definitely wasn't a typical Saturday morning, that's for sure, especially because this time, she had overslept, something she had hardly done in a long time.  
  
"I'm leaving for the shop in a few minutes," her mother told her, putting her spatula down and unfastening her apron. "I made breakfast for you when you get hungry. But I need your help today. I know you were out last night and were probably exhausted afterwards, so you don't have to be right on time, but please show up sometime before noon."  
  
Sora glanced at the round clock up on the wall. It read 10:00 am. She had plenty of time to get ready, she realized, but her mother was hours late. Her father was still sleeping, she supposed, since he didn't have to work on weekends. "I'll show up as soon as I can, Mama. You're late enough already."  
  
Mrs. Takenouchi looked stressed; bags under her eyes had hardly been hidden by the concealer she applied in a rush, and her forehead had slight wrinkles. Sora knew deep down inside that she was the cause of this. "Yes, I know. But I just had to make sure you woke up all right." She lowered her voice, even though there was nobody around in their home to hear. "You haven't still been having those nightmares, have you?"  
  
She shook her head, and it wasn't a lie. Though she hadn't been having the most peaceful sleep yet, the terrible recurring dreams had finally stopped after many years; just last week. "I don't want you losing business or your own sleep because of me. I'm fine, Mama, don't worry."  
  
"I'm your mother," she said, looking into her daughter's bright crimson eyes, "it's my job to worry." She tucked a strand of Sora's cinnamon hair behind her ear, lightly kissed her on the cheek, and stood up straight. "Goodbye, Sora." Scooping up her purse and keys, she then bustled out the door. "Remember, before noon!" she called over her shoulder, before she left the apartment.  
  
"I will!" Sora cried back, waving, even though she was already gone. She stood in the same place for some time, staring absentmindedly at the door. Then she sighed, came back to her senses, and went to get her breakfast.  
  
***  
  
The air was cool and crisp, like a normally February day. It was a little nippy outside, but she had been sure to wear a warm coat. At least the shop was already in view. However, she liked being outside. The breeze ruffled her hair and whipped past her face, fully waking her up. She walked down the sidewalk, her hands in her pockets, and then closed her eyes to shut off the bustling city around her.  
  
"Hey, watch it!" a voice shouted.  
  
Her eyelids flew open, and she was aware of a teenage boy her age on a bicycle. He was going at a fast pace, and heading straight for her. She quickly stepped aside and avoided a collision that just might had happened. 'I should be paying more attention,' she thought to herself. 'He could have crashed right into me--' Something from her memory struck her, and her hands flew to her mouth. "I'm not going to think about this," she said quietly to herself, placing her hands back in her pockets. "Not now, not today, not ever again." She continued walking down the sidewalk, but now a layer of tears blurred her vision.  
  
Finally, she reached her mother's florist shop. As she entered, the bell above the door tinkled and a strong smell of fresh flowers reached her nose. She inhaled deeply, content with the familarity of the scent. The florist's shop had become very homey to her lately. It was the place she always went to think about life and forget her troubles, in an environment with cheery, bright flowers that symbolized life, and their wonderful fragrances that always lightened her mood.  
  
"Good, Sora, you're here, and early, to boot," her mother said from behind the counter. She had been tying a silky red ribbon around a bouquet of vibrant orange, yellow, and red zinnias, that resembled a passionate flames of a fire. The old-fashioned cash register made a -ding!- noise as the drawer came open, and she put the customer's money in and collected the change. Finally, she handed the woman her flowers and change, and the woman walked out the door Sora had just walked in.  
  
"So what can I do, Mama?" she asked, eager to help out.  
  
"I have a lot of lillies and flowers I have to arrange for a wedding--"  
  
"I'd love to do that!" she interrupted excitedly.  
  
"No, Sora, this is a very important job and the bride had specific expectations on how it would be arranged. I'll need you to man the cash register while I stay in the back room," she instructed.  
  
"But, Mama--" she began. Her smile had faded. 'Why doesn't my own mother think I'm capable of arranging flowers for a wedding? It won't worsen my condition or anything; it isn't like it's a funeral--' She felt a sharp pain, and her hands flew to the sides of her head.  
  
"Are you all right?" her mother asked with a gasp, dashing to her daughter. She threw her arm around her shoulders. "Sora, are you okay?"  
  
The pain left as rapidly as it had come. "I-- I'm fine," she said slowly, her arms dropping to her sides.  
  
"Do you need to go back home?" Mrs. Takenouchi questioned anxiously. She shook her head. "So you'll be fine working behind the counter?"  
  
Though she hated being behind the counter, she reluctantly agreed. She didn't want to engage in an argument, since her mother was obviously very concerned for her. "All right then," she said with a sigh.  
  
"Thanks a million, honey. Tell me if you feel hurt again," her mother said, and disappeared into the back room.  
  
Sora plopped onto the stool, rested her elbows on the counter, her chin on her fists, and sighed again. She loved the shop tons, she truly did. But right now, she was not in the mood to serve customers, or really face anyone at all, friend, stranger or not.  
  
It was just her luck that a customer appeared right that moment. It was just a lady buying a single tulip, and that was easy. People dispersed in and out of the store, some actually buying things, and some just browsing. Sora could have cared less about them, unless they asked for help or were going to purchase something. So she just sat there on the stool, starting to doze off...  
  
When a bouquet of sloppily arranged wildflowers was shoved underneath her nose. They smelled sweet, but by examining the flowers in it, she knew they were not from the store. "Um, you don't have to pay for these if you didn't buy it here," she said uncertainly.  
  
Whoever was holding the flowers laughed heartily. "No, no, these are for you."  
  
She accepted them slowly. "But--"  
  
"I didn't think you get to see flowers enough, do you, in a florists' shop?" the boy joked.  
  
It finally occurred to Sora to look up. Her head raised hesitantly, and once she met the eyes of the boy, she gasped and dropped the flowers.  
  
"Whoa, watch it." He looked at her in concern. "Are you okay?"  
  
"No-- no-- It can't be-- You-- You can't-- You aren't-- No-- No, I can't be okay," she sputtered, as though she was seeing a ghost. She jumped off the stool and started to back away slowly. "You-- You-- You--" Her hand was raised and pointed, her face pale white, and she found herself unable to speak.  
  
Luckily, no customers were there to witness her strange behavior, for it was indeed strange. Yamato Ishida couldn't help thinking ths same thing. Sure, Sora had been in a terrible state ever since the accident happened, but never had she been so insane-seeming. He was honestly worried about the state of her mind at this point. "Sora, what's the matter? It's just me."  
  
"You-- You're-- You die-- You're supposed to be dead!" she shouted loudly, her head spinning.  
  
He looked surprised. "Huh? Me? Dead?"  
  
"Yes-- You--"  
  
"Sora," he said in a worried tone. "What's the matter?"  
  
Now she was speechless. Horrified out of her mind, she simply backed up into the wall and braced herself. "What are you going to do? Have you come to haunt me?" Her sense regained long enough for her to realize what she was saying. "No... You'd never do that... But, Taichi--"  
  
Yamato cut her right off, now aware what she was thinking. She thought he was Taichi... But why? He in no way beared resemblance to the boy with dark brown hair, tanned skin, chocolate brown eyes. He was Yamato Ishida, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed heart throb every girl knew and loved. He never expected he'd get mistaken for Taichi -- and from his own girlfriend. "Taichi?"  
  
"Do ghosts take on different names once they die?" she asked fearfully. "You are Taichi, right?"  
  
Yamato -- or Taichi or whoever she thought he was -- sighed deeply, and decided to play along with the act. "Yes, I'm Taichi," he said in a tone that made him sound extremely tired. "Come on, Sora, let's go somewhere. You need some fresh air to clear your head."  
  
"You-- Me? Go...somewhere?" She sounded like she hadn't known how to speak, but had just learned and was nervous to test out the words. It was caveman talk and gibberish that she was speaking in, but the extreme fear had taken away many abilities that should have been natural.  
  
He nodded, feeling like he was speaking to a two-year-old. "Remember? We've dated a few times... We were supposed to go out today, do you remember that?"  
  
"No, I was supposed to go with Yamato," she remembered suddenly. "Not you... You're supposed to be dead..."  
  
Yamato was glad she had remember about him, but he sighed once more that she thought he was actually Taichi. Extending his hands to her, he said, "Just please come with me, Sora. We can have a fun day together, just you and I."  
  
"All right," she said agreed slowly, pulling on her coat. "Just let me tell my mom..."  
  
"No, she'll be fine," he told her.  
  
"But the customers--" she protested.  
  
"There are none."  
  
"But there will be--" she realized.  
  
"Just don't worry about them!" he burst out. "Come on, Sora, you just have to wake up and smell the coffee."  
  
"Coffee?" she asked.  
  
"Figure of speech," he groaned, slapping his forehead with his palm. "Please, Sora?"  
  
"Okay then," she said finally, "I'll go with you. But at least let me leave her a note." He nodded, so she picked up a pen and wrote a note on the nearest pad of paper.  
  
Yamato, reading what she wrote over her shoulder, sighed for the umpteenth time. When Sora stood up straight, he slid his arm around her shoulders and held her close. She was in a terrible state at the moment and needed someone to comfort her and bring her back to Earth. "Come on, Sora, let's go."  
  
"All right, Taichi," she said softly, and rested her head on his shoulder, as they walked out the shop.  
  
***  
  
Yamato had had a very unsuccessful time trying to convince Sora of who he really was. In the end, he just stopped trying. If it made her happy to think Taichi was there with her, who was he to deny her that pleasure? Let her think what she wanted...she had had a hard time for the past few years.  
  
The sun had been starting to set, so Yamato walked her back to her home, not the florist's shop. He didn't want to be reminded how right there she had mistaken him for someone else completely. The grip of his arm around her tightened as he remembered she still hadn't been cured.  
  
"Why go home now?" Sora was asking. "I want to spend forever with you..."  
  
"You -- you can't," he croaked out. "I wish we could too, but it's not like that..." They were silent until they reached the Takenouchi apartment. It was only when they got to the front door that Yamato let her go. "Are you sure you'll be all right alone? Maybe I should stay with you a little longer..." He wanted to say, 'until you regain your senses,' but then he'd have to say he wasn't Taichi, and that would break her heart.  
  
"Yes, please," she begged, clasping both of his hands in her own. "I need you Taichi..." Her voice lowered. "I never told you, because I was too worried you wouldn't feel the same way. I saw how you were hurt when Mimi, Hikari, and Miyako dared me to give Yamato those cookies for Christmas, yet you pushed me to go on... That was very noble of you, Taichi, but the truth is... I've never loved Yamato."  
  
Yamato's jaw dropped, but inside, his heart plunged into an endless pit of darkness. Especially from her next sentence.   
  
"Taichi, ever since soccer camp, the Digiworld -- since forever -- I've loved you all along."  
  
Thoughts were rapidly racing through Yamato's mind. 'Christmas cookies... Dare? She-- she loved Taichi?' Too many things were making his head ache... "I love you too, Sora," he whispered, his eyes tearing.  
  
"Aw, don't cry, Taichi," Sora said with a faint smile, as she wiped his eye. "Come on, let's go inside. Stay with me... I don't want you to leave... Don't ever leave..."  
  
"I'll stay with you for eternity..." Yamato replied automatically, though that hadn't been what he was going to say. In fact, he wasn't going to say anything. His voice was different too; just when Sora admitted her deepest secret, his voice became odd and croaky like he was start crying any moment, but he was trying extremely hard to hold back. Now it was still a tearful voice, but so unlike his own, yet vaguely familiar... He eventually followed her into the apartment, his heart broken.  
  
***  
  
Mrs. Takenouchi, finally done arranging all the wedding flowers, felt extremely relieved and proud of the good job she had done. She stood up, collected her things, and walked out the door into the main shop. "Sora, it's time to go home now--" She found the store entirely empty. "Sora? Sora?"   
  
Feeling worried, she walked to the counter, where she saw on the ground a bouquet of wildflowers. Picking them up, she was positive it was not from her shop, especially since they were so clumsily put together. Did this have something to do with Sora not being there? Scanning over the counter, she found a note.  
  
She picked up the paper and read it aloud to herself. "Mama-- Went out. Sorry about the customers. Be back soon. Don't know where we're going, but you can trust Taichi. Love, Sora." The piece of paper fell to the tabletop.   
  
"Taichi?" Mrs. Takenouchi thought, starting to get chills. "Either Sora is just imagining things, or-- or maybe he really was here... But how could he? Taichi Yagami has been dead for years..."  
  
***  
  
Yamato's eyelids were getting heavier, and he was falling asleep... Sora had finally stopped her tossing and turning in her bed, and had fallen asleep also. He had tucked her in at nine o'clock when she began to get tired... Frankly, it was a load off his mind to think that when she was asleep, she wouldn't be looking at him and thinking he was the late Taichi...   
  
He looked over at the glowing red letters of her digital clock. One hour and thirty minutes had passed... He figured he ought to let her sleep, without watching over her. She would be fine... After all, she told him on the phone a few days ago that the nightmares had stopped. So he stood up and stretched out, then leaned over, drew the blanket up to Sora's chin, and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodnight, Sora... Sweet dreams..." Then he walked out of her room and left the apartment.  
  
Sora moaned and rolled over. One eye blinked open, and she saw Taichi sitting in the chair by her bed, where he been ever since he tucked her in. She smiled at him in the dark and whispered, "I love you."  
  
The spirit of Taichi Yagami gazed back at her affectionately. Oh, how much he had missed Sora for the past few years... He had longed to touch her so badly (if you're thinking what i know you're thinking -- get your mind out of the gutter, it's not like that!), to tell her everything he hadn't the chance to while he was alive... When the accident happened, he thought he had lost his chance forever... But he had finally achieved what he had wanted to do, though he had made Yamato very terrified when his spirit was in his body, and Sora saw Taichi instead of him... But now-- How -- how -- It wasn't possible -- How could she see him now?  
  
"I love you too," he whispered, for it was true. He had loved her for so long, but never had the chance to tell her... Now, he had finally finished all of his issues in life that had been left incomplete when he died...  
  
Sora sighed with content from those words and finally fell into a peaceful repose. And so she didn't notice her loved one fading away from his spot in her chair...   
  
"So much for eternity..." he said, looking as his hand became entirely trasnparent. "But I'll watch over you, Sora... And wait for you...forever..." More parts of his body began to disappear. Until he entirely vanished, to leave Sora without him once again.   
  
.:The End:.  
  
A/N: Wasn't that kind of sad -- kind of? About the strangeness of the fic...hey, I warned you, didn't I? Well, if that story was too confusing for you -- because I know it is -- here's the plot in a nutshell. (How can a plot be in a nutshell? What if they were? Wouldn't that be cool, you just go to a nut tree, crack open a nutshell, and inside, instead of a nut, you get a plot for a story? That would be a lot easier, huh? Okay, I'll shut up.)  
  
Plot: A few years before the premise of this story, Taichi was hit by a car and died. Sora's life became very traumatic, since she secretly loved him for a long time... But she had been dating Yamato. Hey, in my story, Sora was dared to give those cookies to Yamato. Capish? Anyway, you know that whole 'unfinished business' thing with ghosts? That's how Taichi was still on Earth, but before, he never thought he had the chance to tell Sora he loved her if he was a spirit. Finally, it occurred to him to go into someone else's body. So he went into Yamato's body (eh, that doesn't sound right), but for some reason, Yamato still had complete control over himself. Until that moment when Taichi says, "I'll stay with you for eternity..." Well, Sora sees Taichi instead of Yamato, so she isn't entirely insane like I had planned her to be. How she sees Taichi after Yamato leaves, that's a mystery we'll just never find out. Like the long-unanswered question... When will Taichi and Sora ever get together in my fics? Those may be some mysteries left unsolved...  
  
Disclaimer...Digimon does not belong to me. If you believe it does, well, I've just got to wonder about your mental state. You're crazier than Sora would have originally been in this story! 


End file.
